The Department of Justice has reportedly opened a criminal investigation after the Boeing 737 blowout on an Alaska Airlines flight. The catastrophe occurred while the plane was 16,000 feet in the air, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Investigators have reached out to passengers on the January 5 flight, which was forced to make an unexpected landing in Portland, Oregon, after a fuselage panel was torn off in mid-flight. Additionally, the Justice Department has interviewed flight attendants and pilots who were on the flight.

Following the incident, Alaska Airlines said, "In an event like this, it’s normal for the DOJ to be conducting an investigation. We are fully cooperating and do not believe we are a target of the investigation."